How to negotiate salary during a job offer

Salary negotiations are part and parcel of every interview process and part of starting new work. How to negotiate salary for a new job takes a type of precision and persistence if you will.

Things to negotiate besides salary

Once you’ve received the salary offer after negotiations, did you know that you can negotiate for even more perks? There are many possible things to negotiate besides salary and there are many reasons why people consider various job perks to ask for when starting out at a new job.

There are some exceptions to negotiating even more after you and your employer have closed the deal on salary offer and these may include but are not limited to the following:
• Office equipment – new computer, new software, accessories
• Work location – freelancing from home or present in-office, own office or work cubicle
• Time – working hours (fixed or flexible hours), weekends and public holidays off, sick leave, vacation days (paid or unpaid)
• Extras – subsidiary on certain aspects like phone bill, medical insurance, petrol allowance, a portion towards children’s school fees, company vehicle

In it to win it

How do you go about your salary negotiations plus perks to stand a better chance of gaining success at the end of it all?

There are several ways to go about asking for extras when you negotiate your salary, some may include precise timing as this will either make it work or not. For example you can negotiate your perks before formally accepting the offer. However, at this stage it’s also crucial to note that you can’t ask for too much because that might ruin the deal altogether.

Research plays an important role when it comes to salary negotiations, as this will help you know how and what to ask for that is in line with your benefits and the company’s. If the company isn’t doing well financially they probably won’t agree to upgrade your office equipment or give you additional monetary extras.

You should think about the status of the firm and the benefits on offer along with that current salary before considering extras. You have to be sure that you are happy with the position as is and whether or not negotiations will stand a chance of receiving the nod or the boot.

When considering things to negotiate besides salary, you have to be realistic about what you ask for. Nobody wants cocky, demanding staff, so if you imply that for example an upgrade in your equipment will help you be more efficient, this will be beneficial to you as well as the firm.

Lastly you should consider what to say when negotiating salary; and you must have the right words at the right instances. This is crucial because you don’t want to come across as a potential demanding staff member and put your employer off long before they even seal the deal to hire you at the current salary rate on offer.

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About the Author

Jesse Green
Online recruitment expert and journalist writing and having fun in cyberspace.

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The Interviewer

The Interviewer is the blog and resource center of Jesse Green, an online recruitment expert. Jesse has for the last 6 years worked for various companies, successfully founding and exiting a few digital and online ventures. His passion is in classifieds websites, specifically in job classifieds. Prior to that, he was a top recruitment consultant for many years.

Online recruitment and job seeker advice for individuals and corporates.